If Snowflakes Fell in Flavours

One or two years ago, thirty odd to be almost exact, I took my children to the Haliburton Highlands each summer to a cottage. It was a delightful little rustic dwelling with a wood stove and screened in porch right on Lake Haliburton with a shallow beach ideal for wee ones and a diving platform further out. When the odd storm came up we would wrap ourselves in blankets and sit on the porch and enjoy nature’s fury as the wind blew horizontal rain and thunder clapped and lightning provided a better show than man could ever construe.

Most times the weather was ideal with sun and gentle breezes rustling the leaves of mighty oaks, elms and maples that sheltered us in a world far from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. No TV or Internet just games, running, laughing and splashing ourselves into deep untroubled sleeps at night. The only goal was relaxation and community with other cottagers.

We met many people over the years but one family in particular remains a frequent memory. When we first met they were just ordinary folk on holiday and then they told us about their lives. Family singers and musicians were very popular then and this whole family sang and produced records.

I don’t remember if we bought the most recent LP (long playing record) or if they just gave it to us but ‘If Snowflakes Fell in Flavours’ quickly became a favourite often played once we returned home. Shortly after that holiday I flew out west to Vancouver Island to visit friends with two young children and took a copy to them.

The family of singers have no idea how much pleasure they brought to us and I have no idea what happened to them but for one summer the very thought of flavoured snowflakes brought smiles and happiness to a few of us across the country.

**Thanks to Google again. A search shows the song was by Sandy Offenheim and all my favs are there including Let’s Play a Statue Game. The bio says that Sandy Offenheim is a Canadian teacher, children’s song writer and performer, who recorded four albums of her original kids’ songs with her husband Harold and their children, Nadine and Stephen while they were growing up.

Well I am glad I had that memory today and want to thank Sandy and her family for providing such wonderful entertainment.

The summer memories sound absolutely idyllic, the stuff of storybooks. And now I’m quite desperate to locate the song and hear it, because seriously, what a concept. Flavored snowflakes. Wouldn’t that be awesome?
Lovely post, Chris!

I’m going backwards through my “catch-up” blog time! I read your connecting with Sandy which is fantastic. This proves that there is life beyond the paranoia of being on-line and using the Net! I posted a positive experience as well (Eating in the Raw) about a reader who came for a visit because she grew up with a friend of mine. All of this was unknown to any of us until she announced she was coming to my part of the world to visit him!

Thanks Chris once again for sharing your memories with us. Isn’t it amazing how when we look back at summer holidays with our children or even with our siblings, it was always sunny and warm? Selective memories do you think?